Component for medical circuit

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10213571-B2
Application number	US-201214115806-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 2, 2012
Priority date	May 6, 2011
Publication date	Feb 26, 2019
Grant date	Feb 26, 2019

Abstract

A medical tube has a tube wall defining a passageway for transportation of gases and further has a first end and a second end. At least one end of the medical tube comprises one or more of a pre-formed pneumatic port component, a pre-formed electrical port component, and a pre-formed sensor port component. A cuff is over-molded about and thereby connects the pneumatic port component, the electrical port component, and/or the sensor port component and at least a portion of the tube end.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A medical tube comprising:
a tube wall comprising a first end and a second end and defining a passageway that provides fluid communication between the first end and the second end;
one or more first preformed components;
one or more second preformed components; and
a cuff having a unitary construction and over-moulded about the one or more first preformed components, the one or more second preformed components, and at least a portion of the tube wall such that a first portion of the cuff forms a permanent connection with the at least a portion of the tube wall at a first over-moulded joint and a second portion of the cuff forms a permanent connection with the one or more first preformed components at a second over-moulded joint,
wherein the one or more first preformed components define a longitudinal axis, wherein the one or more first preformed components are spaced apart from the at least a portion of the tube wall along the longitudinal axis to form a gap therebetween, wherein the cuff extends across the gap and connects the one or more first preformed components and the tube wall, and wherein the one or more second preformed components are located longitudinally between and spaced from the one or more first preformed components and the at least a portion of the tube wall, the one or more second preformed components being seated within and separate from the cuff, the cuff forming a pneumatic seal about the tube wall, the one or more first preformed components and the one or more second preformed components;
wherein the one or more first preformed components are in fluid communication with the passageway and configured for fluid connection with one or more second components of a breathing circuit, and the one or more second preformed components are receivable of one or more auxiliary medical tube appliances.

2. The medical tube of claim 1 , wherein the cuff forms a pneumatic seal about one of the first end and the second end of the tube wall and the one or more first preformed components whilst maintaining fluid communication between the one or more first preformed components and the passageway.

3. The medical tube of claim 1 , wherein the passageway is defined at least in part by a portion of the cuff.

4. The medical tube of claim 3 , wherein the passageway has a smooth surface.

5. The medical tube of claim 1 , wherein the cuff provides the only connection between the one or more first preformed components and the tube wall.

6. The medical tube of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the one or more first preformed components comprises a pneumatic port, the pneumatic port comprising a tubular housing having a longitudinal axis substantially aligned with the passageway.

7. The medical tube of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the one or more second preformed components comprises one or more locators extending from the at least one of the one or more second preformed components for attachment to one of the first end and the second end of the tube wall to which the cuff is attached.

8. The medical tube of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the one or more second preformed components comprises a sensor port, the sensor port configured to receive a sensor for sensing one or more characteristics of fluid in the passageway.

9. The medical tube of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the one or more second preformed components comprises an electrical port, the electrical port configured to receive an electrical connector for providing an electrical supply to one or more electrically powered heaters for heating fluid in the passageway.

10. The medical tube of claim 9 , wherein the cuff provides the only connection between the one or more second preformed components and the one or more first preformed components.

11. The medical tube of claim 9 , wherein the one or more electrically powered heaters are located substantially within the passageway.

12. The medical tube of claim 9 , wherein the one or more electrically powered heaters are located substantially within the tube wall.

13. The medical tube of claim 9 , wherein the one or more electrically powered heaters are located substantially outside the tube wall.

14. The medical tube of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the one or more second preformed components comprises a sensor port and an electrical port, the sensor port configured to receive a sensor for sensing one or more characteristics of fluid in the passageway, and the electrical port configured to receive an electrical connector for providing an electrical supply to one or more electrically powered heaters for heating fluid in the passageway.

15. The medical tube of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the one or more first preformed components is one of the one or more second preformed components and comprises a pneumatic port and a sensor port, the pneumatic port comprising a tubular housing having a longitudinal axis substantially aligned with the passageway, and the sensor port configured to receive a sensor for sensing one or more characteristics of fluid in the passageway.

16. The medical tube of claim 1 , wherein the cuff is formed of a material having a lower relative melting point than the material of the one or more first preformed components, the one or more second preformed components, and the tube wall.

17. The medical tube of claim 1 , wherein the cuff is formed of a material relatively more pliable than the material of the one or more first preformed components and the one or more second preformed components.

18. The medical tube of claim 1 , wherein the medical tube is a reusable medical tube.

19. The medical tube of claim 1 , wherein the one or more first preformed components have an internal bore defining an inner diameter of the one or more first preformed components, the inner diameter of the one or more first preformed components being greater than an inner diameter of the cuff along a portion of the cuff extending across the gap, the internal bore of the one or more first preformed components forming a female connecting portion.

20. A medical tube comprising:
a tube wall comprising a first end and a second end and defining a passageway that provides fluid communication between the first end and the second end;
wherein at least one of the first end and the second end comprises:
a preformed pneumatic port component in fluid communication with the passageway and configured for fluid connection with a further component of a breathing circuit, wherein the preformed pneumatic port component defines a longitudinal axis, wherein the preformed pneumatic port component is spaced apart from at least a portion of the tube wall along the longitudinal axis to form a gap therebetween,
a preformed sensor port component receivable of a sensor for sensing one or more characteristics of fluid in the passageway, and
a cuff having a unitary construction and over-moulded about the preformed pneumatic port component, the preformed sensor port component, and the at least a portion of the tube wall such that a first portion of the cuff forms a permanent connection with the at least a portion of the tube wall at a first over-moulded joint and a second portion of the cuff forms a permanent connection with the preformed pneumatic port component at a second over-moulded joint, wherein the cuff extends across the gap and connects the preformed pneumatic port component and the tube wall, and wherein the preformed sensor port component is located longitudinally between and spaced from the preformed pneumatic

Assignees

• Coleman Peter Nigel
• Gray Nathan Lee
• Fisher & Paykel Healthcare Ltd

Inventors

• Coleman Peter Nigel
• Gray Nathan Lee

Classifications

• A61M16/1095 Primary

  in the connecting tubes · CPC title

• A61M16/0841

  for sampling · CPC title

• A61M16/16

  Devices to humidify the respiration air {(A61M16/1045 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• A61M16/0875

  Connecting tubes · CPC title

• A61M16/0003

  Accessories therefor, e.g. sensors, vibrators, negative pressure · CPC title